Beginning in September, a common sight at Jets practices was Stephen Hill running a route, catching a football then carefully jogging back to join teammates. Sometimes his face twisted into a grimace.

Off the field, the second-year wide receiver spent more and more time in the trainer’s room. During game days, production sank. After a four-game stretch with one reception for 2 yards, the Jets deactivated Hill for last weekend’s game against the Oakland Raiders due to knee swelling.

The Jets placed Hill on injured reserve today, those creaky joints forcing a premature end to another season.

"The whole year, he’s had some swelling in his knees," coach Rex Ryan said. "He’d come back, rehab, come back. But it just seemed that any time he’d do a football-related activity, whether it was practice or more specifically game, his knees would swell up."

The Jets coach added, "We weren’t able to get it to where he could be productive out there."

Hill said he wrangled with the swelling all season. At its worst, the irritation prevented him from sharply changing direction on the field. He lost the burst of speed that separated him from defenders. Hill said he wanted to "ride it out until season ended," but in recent weeks, not even rehab could dissipate the swelling.

"I just pushed through it as much as I could," Hill said. He added the decision is targeted to "just making sure I get my knee for later on in my football career. It does hurt, because you want to be out there with the guys, but other than that I’m thinking of this positively."

Hill is familiar with this frustrating cycle. A year ago, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to correct an injury that ended his season prematurely. Ryan did not rule out surgery this offseason, though Hill said he hasn’t yet considered having a procedure. While Hill didn’t specify if the swelling is related to last year’s surgery, he did say that he did not suffer any significant injuries to either knee this season. Ryan said both knees swelled this season.

"Nothing is different," Hill said. "It just swells up, that’s the only thing."

The injuries have been a significant obstacle in Hill reaching the potential accompanying his draft placement, No. 43 overall in 2012. Hill left Georgia Tech an unpolished prospect. At 6-4, he completed a 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine. But his route-running was ragged — in college he was mostly used just as a deep passing threat.

Hill had 24 catches this season for 342 yards and a touchdown. The numbers improved slightly on the 21 catches, 252 yards and three touchdowns he had last year.

"Obviously there’s frustrations from his point, from everybody’s point, because we’re waiting for him to take the next step that you would take," Ryan said. "It just hasn’t happened."

The prescription for Hill now is to rest ("Time helps," Ryan said) and recuperate for next season. Hill said he plans on adding muscle to his upper body and legs this offseason. Jets coaches encouraged him to "stay engaged" in team meetings over the final these final weeks of the season.

John Idzik added his own message: "Come back next year strong," the GM said. "We have a plan for you."